Holder: Sequester may have 'profound' impact

3/6/13 9:34 AM EST

Attorney General Eric Holder told senators Wednesday morning that the broad budget cuts known as the sequester are "already having a significant negative impact" Justice Department operations and could have a "profound" effect on the public if not halted soon.

At a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight hearing, Holder said the department's progress made over the last four years "will be severely hampered unless Congress adopts a balanced deficit reduction plan and ends the untenable reductions that last week set in motion a move to cut over $1.6 billion, that's 9 percent, of the department's budget in just seven months' time."

"As we speak, these cuts are already having a significant negative impact not ust on Department employees, but on programs that could directly impact the safety of Americans across the country....Our capacity—to respond to crimes, investigate wrongdoing, and hold criminals accountable has been reduced. And, despite our best efforts to limit the impact of sequestration, unless Congress quickly passes a balanced deficit reduction plan, the effect of these cuts-on our entire justice system and on the American people—may be profound," Holder said.

"So, I urge Congressional leaders to act swiftly to restore the funding that the department needs to fulfill its critical mission to keep our citizens safe," Holder added.

Holder's prepared text distributed to reporters by the committee minutes before the hearing contained the statement: "Important law enforcement and litigation programs are being disrupted." However, the attorney general omitted that line when delivering his actual remarks.

The Senate Judiciary hearings is one of few committee events taking place in the Capitol Wednesday as much of official Washington has shut down or is shutting down due to snow.

UPDATE (Wednesday, 10:14 A.M.): This post has been updated with Holder's actual remarks.